What’s Inside This Week?
May 28, 2026
Essentials Box
- Italian Frying Peppers, 1.5lbs, $6.00
- Kale, 1 bu, $4.00
- Beets, 1 bu, $3.00
- Arugula, 8oz, $5.00
- Nectarines, 2lbs, $8.00
Original Box
- Essentials Box, plus:
- Zucchini (Costata Romanesco), 2lbs, $6.00
- Broccoli, head, $4.00
- Parsnips, 1 bu, $4.00
- Jalapeños, .25lbs, $3.00
Hearty Box
- Original Box, plus:
- Slicing Cucumbers, 1lb, $4.00
- Rainbow Chard, 1 bu, $5.00
- Artichokes, $4.00
We have eggs! Fresh farm eggs available as an add-on to your CSA subscription. Email us at customerservice@dare2dreamfarms.com to add them to your next delivery.
Weekly pickup at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Vandenberg Space Force Base Visitors Center parking lot — every Thursday at 1:00pm. Know someone on base? Spread the word!
Field Notes
We’re back. After some much needed family time and adventure in New Zealand, the Raffs returned this week ready to jump in with both feet — and jump in we did. No matter where we go, we’re always grateful to come home to this place. The California coast, the canyon, the golden evening light coming over the hills — it brings a deep joy and comfort.
The sunset on our first evening walk back was splendid. It warmed the sky to a deep orange during golden hour, and we stood at the top of the hill looking out at everything we’ve built and everything we still dream of doing. Its grounding to marry gratitude, accomplishment and dreams as a family.
Megan and Jeremy at Milford Sound — a little adventure before coming home.
The whole family in front of Sterling Falls at Milford Sound. Memories made.
New Zealand gave us more than rest — it gave us inspiration. The kids met alpacas and sheep up close in Te Anau at Woodstone Farm, and let’s just say a new dream may be taking shape here at Dare 2 Dream Farms.
Coming home to the farm was beautiful and immediately humbling. The garlic, which we’d left in good shape, seems to have had magic weed powder sprinkled on it while we were gone — the heavy weeds came back fast and strong. The water system had also gone off, which we fixed as soon as we arrived. Good thing we came back ready to work.
The kids in Te Anau, meeting alpacas and sheep. A new dream is forming at D2D…
Fiji on the play structure, golden hills behind her. Welcome home indeed.
And then there’s the upcoming departure that pulled at our hearts a little. Jack, who has been part of this farm since 2020, is heading to Oregon this week to start a new chapter — living full-time in his beautifully built-out step-out truck turned tiny home. We’ve been preparing for his departure with some time and find happiness that he’ll be in good company with our other road-life friends, the Aldapes and Brandon. There’s always an ebb and flow of life on a farm, and while we’re excited for what’s ahead for him, we’d be lying if we said we weren’t a little sad to say “see you down the road.”
The timing of Jack’s departure brings with it a beautiful arrival: Myron and Colleen, who managed our garden last year, are returning to the farm — along with their daughter Lila, our little garden fairy. They’ve decided this is where they want to welcome a new baby: here, where they have support, a slower pace, and can be together all day as a family. They arrive next Thursday or Friday. We couldn’t be more glad to have them back.
Golden hour from the top of the hill on our first evening walk home. Worth every mile of travel.
Maya saying welcome home.
Storage Tips
Greens: kale, arugula, rainbow chard → wrap in a towel, bag in the fridge; use within 5–7 days.
Brassicas: broccoli → fridge crisper, loosely bagged; best within 3–5 days.
Roots: beets, parsnips → fridge crisper, bagged; remove beet greens if attached and store separately.
Squash: zucchini (Costata Romanesco) → fridge crisper, unwashed, loosely bagged; best within 4–5 days.
Peppers: Italian frying peppers → fridge in a bag; keeps 5–7 days. Best used before they soften.
Other: slicing cucumbers → fridge crisper, unwashed; use within 5 days. Artichokes → fridge in a bag with a little moisture; use within 3–5 days.
Fruit: nectarines → counter to ripen until fragrant and slightly soft; refrigerate once ripe and use within 2–3 days.
Chopped Nectarine, Squash & Herb Salad
Ingredients
- 2 small zucchini or summer squash, diced small
- 2 ripe nectarines, pitted and diced
- 1 cup arugula, roughly chopped
- 2–3 Italian frying peppers, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, torn
- 1/4 cup fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley, torn
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tbsp white wine or champagne vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- Flaky sea salt & black pepper
- Optional: toasted pistachios or pine nuts
Instructions
- Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, honey, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- Dice zucchini and nectarines into similar-sized pieces — roughly half-inch cubes. Thin-slice the Italian frying peppers into rings.
- In a large bowl, combine zucchini, nectarines, peppers, and arugula. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently.
- Scatter crumbled cheese, fresh mint, and basil or parsley over the top. Add toasted nuts if using.
- Finish with flaky salt and serve immediately — this salad is best eaten fresh while the nectarines are juicy and the herbs are bright.
Stone fruit in savory dishes — why it works and what else to try
Nectarines and peaches have a natural acidity and sweetness that makes them behave more like a citrus element than a dessert ingredient in savory cooking. When paired with peppery greens like arugula, creamy cheese, and fresh herbs, the fruit cuts through richness and adds brightness in a way that lemon or vinegar alone can’t quite replicate. The result is a salad that tastes more complex than its parts.
The Italian frying pepper in this recipe adds another layer worth understanding. Unlike bell peppers, Italian frying peppers — also called cubanelles — are thin-skinned, mildly sweet, and low in bitterness. They don’t need to be cooked to be enjoyable, which makes them one of the best raw additions to summer salads. Slice them thin and they almost disappear into the dish, adding crunch and sweetness without announcing themselves.
Once you’re comfortable using stone fruit in savory applications, try it in other ways: sliced nectarine with prosciutto and arugula on flatbread, diced peach in a salsa with cucumber and jalapeño over grilled fish, or halved and roasted alongside chicken thighs with herbs and balsamic. The Costata Romanesco zucchini in this week’s box is also exceptional raw — its denser, nuttier flesh holds up to dressing without going soggy, making it ideal for chopped salads like this one.
Fresh herbs are the finishing touch that pulls everything together. Mint and basil together create an aromatic combination that reads as both summery and unexpected — don’t be tempted to use just one. Flat-leaf parsley works beautifully as a third option or substitute, bringing an earthy brightness that balances the sweetness of the fruit.
